Local officials have said previously they did not issue an alert on Thursday night because it may have reached people beyond the affected area and could have complicated evacuations.

Authorities have also said police went door-to-door or telephoned residents with instructions on how to shelter or evacuate safely.

The Andalusian regional government and the Spanish Civil Guard police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is scheduled to visit the devastated area of Los Gallardos, home to many foreign residents, on Monday.

Among those caught up in the fire were a British couple, who were found down a ravine, badly burned and semi-conscious, local media reported.

The pair are thought to have been out hiking as the blaze spread rapidly through the province on Thursday. They were evacuated and taken to hospital where they are in intensive care.

This is already among the deadliest wildfires in Spanish history.

In 1984, 20 people died in a fire on the Canary Island of La Gomera, while in 1979, 21 people, including nine children, died in a forest fire near Lloret de Mar in north-eastern Spain.

Climate change is driving up temperatures around the world, causing increased summer heatwaves and more intense wildfires.

Additional reporting by Kostas Kallergis, Juan Dominguez.